Easter Lilies are one of the most fragrant flowers I have ever been near. When we receive our shipment, the shop is instantly filled with their beautiful aroma. They are a beautiful tall white trumpet of a bloom. Grown from a bulb, they will reach 24-30" tall typically. If the weather is warm, we might have to open the doors to let the fragrance out as it is such a powerful smell. Having a shop full of Easter Lilies and other blooming plants instantly transforms and propels us into spring.
The Easter Lilly is traditionally used for symbolizing the purity of Christ during his life and after the resurrection. The Lilly itself represents purity and believers have associated this symbol to Christ. Each year the bulb will grow a new plant symbolizing the rebirth and resurrection
This picture is an example of a greenhouse grown Easter Lilly plant. Typically when you purchase the plant it will have some blooms open and some still as a bud. As the open blooms die off, you can cut them at the base of the plant. This will encourage the new blooms to open. Easter lilies prefer cooler temperatures, usually around 60-65º during the day and 55-60º during the night. Be sure to water your plant if the surface of the soil feels dry; however, beware of drowning your lily. If your plant is inside your house in a pot, it will be very easy to over water. This will cause the bulb to rot and ruin. Your plant can be put outside in a flower bed with good drainage. Once it warms in the spring so there is no threat of frost you could plant them in a well drained area in your yard or flower bed. Cut all the white blooms off and cut the stem to a few inches above the bulb. Most likely it will not bloom the first year, but should be beautiful the second year with proper care.
The Easter Lily was originally brought into the United States by a World War I soldier Louis Houghton. What was previously known as the Bermuda lily was first brought to the southern coast of Oregon in 1919. Houghton distributed an entire suitcase of the hybrid lily bulbs to various friends and family. This lily proved to really thrive in the climate there. It was similar to the flower's native Ryukyu Islands of Japan. By the year 1945, there were over a thousand growers on the west coast harvesting these bulbs to sell. There are only about two full weeks during the year when these flowers are commercially available. Easter lilies are estimated to be the fourth largest potted plant crop in the United States, following the poinsettia, mum, and azalea.
So, as u can see the Easter Lilly has a long history and means a lot of things to a lot of different people. In East Texas we use them for elaborate displays at our church on Easter Sunday. An older tradition here included a church member buying an Easter Lilly plant for placement on the platform. These were placed in honor of a loved one that had passed away, after Easter service you could take your plant home. Enjoy Easter year after year with your Easter Lilly.
